Knitting Publishers, Stop Insulting my Grandmother

This is a post that is a little old, from January, but it struck a chord with me. It’s written by the owners of [tag]Rosies Yarn Cellar[/tag], a store in Philadelphia, PA and the blog is [tag]Rosie Blogs[/tag].

What is significant about this rant, and it is a rant, is that a store owner is taking a stand against the mass marketing hooha that has become the world of knitting. Knitting has reemerged as a hot hobby. The big hype now is “It’s not your grandmothers knitting, yarn, book, store”, whatever.

Lisa writes –

There must be 500 new knitting books being published this Spring. And 475 of them have the word “young,” “cool,” “hip,” or “easy” in the title.

I don’t know about you, but Courtney and I are sick of it. We’re sick of people claiming that what they do is “not your grandmother’s knitting,” as if there was something wrong with our grandmother’s knitting.

(Hey, publishers–stop insulting my grandmother. I know that’s not what you’re trying to do, but I’ve had it. Eve Plotnick and Dorothy Myers were women of skill, patience, resourcefulness, and creativity. And if you think I’ll ever think better of anything you’re showing me because you tell me it’s unlike what they did or would do, you’re way wrong.)

And we’re sick of all the books that promise to deliver nothing but easy projects. Guess what? Knitting isn’t difficult. In other parts of the world, 4-year-olds do it. Every person reading this–everyone capable of learning to use a computer to read a blog–is smart enough to do any kind of knitting we want.

Do you hear me, publishers? Stop calling us stupid. Every time you tell us that it’s all so easy, we hear what you’re really saying: “Knitting is so hard. Numbers are so scary. Let us hold your hand.” Remember the uproar over the talking Barbie that said “Math is hard”? Same thing.

So here’s the new policy at Rosie’s: We’re not going to order any more books that have “Easy” in the title. We’ve told our book distributor to take us off the “automatic” program that guarantees that we get every new title that comes down the line. There’s too much out there, and too little of it is good.

Now that is really putting your money where your mouth is. Only ordering classic books with good patterns, proven designers – not just every fly-by-night designer who is hot now but doesn’t have good enough stuff to last longer yesterday leftovers.

And what is just as interesting are all the comments to the post. Many people resent the illusion that our grandmothers were dumb and that we need to be speed knitters with large needles and bulky yarn because we are too busy to devote many hours to intense projects.

There is something wonderfully nostalgic about a pair of handmade bed socks, isn’t there? They are practical, pretty, and just the sort of project that feels like it belongs beside a cup of tea, a good film, and a basket of wool that is pretending not to be overflowing.

This vintage Bed Socks knitting pattern is one of those sweet little patterns that still feels useful today. Originally from the Jaeger Hand-Knit Series No. 44, the design features a simple garter-stitch foot, a ribbed cuff, eyelet holes, a crochet chain tie, and little tassel-style pom-poms at the front. The original pattern even describes them as “a very acceptable present,” and honestly, I don’t think much has changed there.

These would make a lovely handmade gift for someone who is always cold, someone recovering or resting, or anyone who appreciates a bit of old-fashioned comfort. They would also be beautiful as a Mother’s Day gift, a winter birthday present, a Christmas stocking filler, or a “just because you deserve cozy feet” project.

The pattern itself is delightfully simple in construction. The socks are knitted flat, beginning at the lower edge, with the foot worked in garter stitch before moving into the ribbed upper section. The decorative eyelet row allows for a crochet chain cord to be threaded through, and the finishing tassels give the socks that charming vintage look. The top edge is finished with a row of double crochet, which adds a neat handmade touch.

The original measurements list the socks as approximately 10½ inches from the top to the lower edge of the heel, with a 9¾ inch foot length, and the pattern notes that the size can be adapted. As with many vintage knitting patterns, modern knitters will want to check gauge carefully and choose a soft yarn that feels comfortable against the skin. A cozy wool blend, soft acrylic, or washable yarn would all work depending on whether you are making these for everyday use or as a special gift.

I especially love that this pattern has that “giftable” quality without being a massive project. It is small enough to feel achievable, but still special enough that the finished pair looks thoughtful. And let’s be honest, handmade socks with pom-poms are always going to beat a last-minute candle from the supermarket.

The PDF version has been cleaned up and formatted for easier reading while keeping the original vintage design intact. It also includes a modern pink mockup image and the original vintage scan, so you get both the historical charm and a fresh idea of how the finished socks could look today.

If you enjoy vintage knitting patterns, cozy handmade gifts, or quick projects that feel useful rather than just decorative, this sweet little bed socks pattern is a lovely one to add to your collection.

You can find the Vintage Bed Socks Knitting Pattern PDF in the CraftGossip Etsy store.

For supplies, this is also a nice stash-friendly project. A soft yarn from Mary Maxim or Amazon would work well, and if you make pom-poms regularly, a small pom-pom maker is one of those inexpensive tools that saves a surprising amount of fiddling.

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